NEW YORK, March 1, 2012 – Bank stability is an ever-more pressing concern for the world’s corporations and investors. It is within this context that Global Finance announces the half-yearly update to its Ranking of the World’s 50 Safest Banks.

The ranking was created through an evaluation of long-term credit ratings—from Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings—and total assets of the 500 largest banks worldwide. Global Finance’s ranking of the World’s 50 Safest Banks is a recognized and trusted standard of creditworthiness for the entire financial world. “Counterparty creditworthiness has seldom been of more concern to companies and investors worldwide,” says Global Finance publisher Joseph D. Giarraputo. “Knowing how their counterparties are faring in the face of global economic uncertainty is key. This ranking helps companies and investors to get a view on the relative strength of their counterparties—and global financial institutions.”